


We've Done This All Before

by fields_of_falafel



Series: The Misadventures of the Modern Hams [8]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, M/M, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, alex is problematic, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-07-18 04:30:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7299637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fields_of_falafel/pseuds/fields_of_falafel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex meets Eliza (again).</p><p>Then, John meets Eliza. </p><p>Finally, Eliza meets Alex and John.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alex Meets Eliza (Again)

“I hate New Jersey.”

“Alex, I love you, but please go back to sleep.”

“I also hate this town.”

“ _Alex_.”

“ _John_.”

Alex groaned and stopped pacing the room for a minute before beginning to pace again.

It was John and Laf’s turn to groan. “Alex, please. It’s two in the morning.”

“I wish we were back in New York.”

“Working on it, babe. Now come back to bed.”

“I’m gonna go for a walk.”

“Alex-”

He was already out of their tent. Taking walks at night wasn’t an unusual thing for him, but John and Laf were never awake when he left. Only the guards knew that he wandered around, and they never noticed when he snuck out. Plus, he liked the quiet. The camp was almost never silent, but if he caught it at the right time nearly everyone would be asleep and he could sneak out.

On this particular night it was easy for him to sneak out of camp, since the new guards were on duty and they weren’t the best at their jobs. It was amazing that he managed to do so, seeing as it was a clear night with a bright full moon in the sky.

The bulk of the army was on the outskirts of the city, and that’s where Alex was slowly making his way away from. He knew there was a lake somewhere around here, he might as well find it.

And he did. He wasn’t exactly a big fan of water, but he could appreciate the moon shining over the lake from a healthy distance. A very healthy distance.

“Isn’t it a little late?” He jumped straight up in the air at the sound of the voice behind him. He spun around, ready to face one of the guards from camp and was very surprised when he found himself faced with a girl. Wait, no, not just any girl. This was her. This was that girl he’d spent the entire night talking to that one night in New York. The girl who’d lifted his spirits when he thought no one could. It was Eliza Schuyler.

“Eliza.” The corner of his mouth turned up.

“Alex!” She grinned from ear to ear and enveloped him in a hug. He hugged back in an instant, too shocked to really think of anything else.

“Shit, Eliza, I didn’t think that I’d see you again.”

She smiled shyly. “Me neither. What brings you-”

“I thought you lived in New York, what’re you doing in Morristown?”

Eliza didn’t mind that he interrupted, and he didn’t notice that he did. “I’m staying with my aunt for a while.”

“Washington’s got us stationed in Morristown for a while until we move up north again.”

“You’re confident,” she remarked.

“I like to think of it as being realistic.”

Eliza laughed a little. “Come on, let’s go sit.” She pulled her coat around her shoulders and rubbed her hands together.

“Jesus Christ, you’re freezing. Here, take my jacket.”

“You’re gonna go for that cliché?” She asked, but took it anyway.

“I like to stay true to myself.”

Eliza laughed again and Alex smiled. He decided that he liked making her laugh.

She led them to a little bench that was about fifteen yards from the waterline. She sat down first and he plopped down beside her, almost wishing that he had his jacket back. It really was cold out here. He slung his arm around her and she burrowed into his side. If he had to be cliché, he may as well go for more than one.

They talked for what felt like hours. He learned even more about her than he ever thought possible, more than just about her family and her crazy aunt. This time, however, it felt like they were old friends catching up instead of plain strangers.

Eliza was different than any girl he’d ever met before and it took only one look into her brown eyes for him to know.

After he saw her yawn for the third time he told her, “I think it’s getting a little late.”

“No way, I can stay up.” She yawned again.

“ _Eliza_.”

She stifled another yawn. “I guess it is getting late.”

“I’ll walk you home.” He stood up and extended his hand to her. For a brief moment he felt guilty, since he had two perfectly good partners waiting for him back in his tent. Instead, he was here with Eliza and once he looked at her again the guilt faded away.

Eliza took his hand with a smile and he walked her (like a true gentleman) back to her aunt’s house.

“I’ll see you around this time, won’t I?” She leaned against her doorframe and stared up at him.

“You can count on it.” He meant it.

“I’ll see you soon, then.” For a moment it looked like she wanted to kiss him goodnight but then she retreated back into her home.

“See you soon.” He said to the closed door, and walked back to camp with his hands in his pockets. He felt . . . good. He felt more refreshed, even though he hadn’t slept in at least a day. No, he felt strangely fine, and he continued to feel that way until he got back to his tent and the guilt settled in again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was alternatively titled: alex is problematic part 1


	2. John Meets Eliza

John didn’t exactly know what his job was half the time, he usually just did whatever Washington told him to do, which left him a lot of free time. Most of the time he used it to bother Alex or Laf until they chased him off or to get drunk with the other soldiers. Then, if he got drunk enough he’d get into fights with said soldiers. Not to say he didn’t enjoy it, it was just repetitive.

On this particular afternoon he’d already been chased off by both Alex and Laf and the soldiers were busy running drills so he was left with nothing to do. It was too early to start drinking, even by his standards, and it was no fun drinking alone, so here he was sitting just outside the camp smoking a cigarette instead.

“Smoking isn’t good for you, you know,” said a voice behind him which was decidedly not a soldier nor any of his boyfriends.

John turned around to find himself faced with a girl, no a young woman, who was standing with her hands on her hips.

“Many things aren’t good for you.” He replied, but crushed it under his boot regardless.

“That’s true.” She paused. “I guess it’s true what they say about idle hands.”

“I guess it is. But anyway, what brings a girl like you to a place like this?”

The girl looked around. “Doesn’t seem like a place that’s not fit for a girl like me.”

John raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

She smiled. “I know. I actually just needed a ride into town, think you can help with that?”

When John hesitated she continued, “It’s not like you’re doing much by the look of it.”

“You’ve got me there. Come on then.” He stood up and beckoned her along, over to where the vehicles were. Most of them had been stolen in some way or another, either from the British or people supporting them. It was cruel, but it was war.

He already had the keys for one of them, even though he wasn’t supposed to. He led the girl over to this one, which was his personal favorite.

“I never got your name. I'm John.” He said, turning to her.

“I’m Eliza. Eliza Schuyler.”

“Schuyler? I thought your family lived in New York.”

“I’m visiting my aunt. Her health is deteriorating and she lives alone, so I’m helping her out.”

“Huh. That’s very kind of you.”

“No one else would do it. My aunt, she has a reputation as a, well, as a-”

“A bitch?”

Eliza laughed a little. “I guess that’s one way of putting it.”

“Some people are just . . .”

“Bitches.” Eliza finished and climbed into the Jeep alongside John, who laughed.

“So what do you need from town, Miss Schuyler?”

“Oh, please, call me Eliza.”

“Well then, what do you need Eliza?”

She pulled out a list. “I need some things from the grocery store, and I think that’s about it. We need a couple of repairs done around the house but I think we have the stuff for that in the basement.”

“I can help with the repairs, if you need me.” John offered without hesitation.

Eliza smiled. “Are you sure you’re not busy at all?”

“Nah, there’s not much to do around camp right now.”

“You’re fighting a war and you’re doing nothing?” Eliza raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t say everyone’s doing nothing. Just me.”

“Ah. What’s your rank?”

“Lieutenant colonel.”

“So lieutenant colonels have nothing better to do than drive pretty ladies into town?”

“I don’t see you complaining.”

“I’m not. I’m just trying to understand what military life is like.”

“You don’t want to understand what military life is like.”

Eliza paused. “Fair enough.” She paused again. “The war seems to be turning in your favor now, at least.”

“It is. But enough about war stuff, tell me about yourself Miss Eliza Schuyler.” He said, putting emphasis on the last three words.

“Oh, I’m not very interesting.”

“You’re a Schuyler. You’re very interesting to many people I’d guess.”

“My family’s rich, yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m anything special. Personality-wise, I mean.”

“Well if you’re not interesting, then I’m sure your family is. Have you got any siblings?”

“Seven.”

“ _Seven?_ ”

“Three brothers and four sisters, uh-huh.”

“God that’s just . . . that’s just too many children.”

“I’d have more if my mother hadn’t had so many miscarriages.”

“That’s a shame. My mother had a miscarriage once, and it was horrible for her.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Do you have any siblings?”

John swallowed. He’d had four, at one point. “I’ve got three. A brother and two sisters.”

“Are you the oldest?”

He paused again. “Yes. But enough about me, tell me about your twelve brothers and fifteen sisters.”

Eliza laughed. “It’s not _that_ many.”

“Two or twelve, it’s all the same to me.”

“I guess it is. But in this case, it’s only seven. There’s my older sister Angelica, who you’ve probably heard of-”

“Angelica Schuyler? I don’t know if I’ve heard of any-”

“Angelica Church?”

“Angelica Church! You’re her sister?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“You’re lucky to be related to her. If we ever win this damned war the only person I’d want as our leader, besides Washington of course, is your sister.”

“I think she has plans to do just that.”

“Must be nice, to have a sister like that.”

“I guess so.” John noticed that Eliza had went from bubbly and happy to more downcast. So, he decided to change the subject.

“There’s only one grocery store nearby, is that one okay?”

“The one right up the road? It’s perfect.”

John pulled into the parking lot. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“I could use the company.” Eliza swung herself out of the car and strutted towards the store. John followed her from a healthy distance, only because he didn’t want her to feel like he was crowding her. He patiently watched her collect the items off of her list, while also picking up some snack food for himself.

“Okay, two bags of chips is more than enough.” Eliza said after he threw in the third bag.

“I’ll pay for it.”

“Sure you will.”

“Okay, I’d rather not pay for it . . . but-”

“No.” John groaned but put them back anyway. He followed Eliza to the fruit section, which was looking incredibly empty. However, there was a pile of cucumbers on one of the stands which he picked up with a mischievous grin.

“Sure you don’t need this?” He waved the cucumber around. Eliza rolled her eyes.

“Put that back.”

“But why? We could have fun with this.”

“ _You_ can have fun with that. By yourself. Very far away from me.”

John grinned, but put it back anyway. He looked around again, noticing that it wasn’t just the fruit section that was empty, it was the whole damn store.

“Is the store always this empty?” He asked.

“Usually.” Eliza answered, but she didn’t seem to be fazed by it. “Most of the trucks are raided by either British or American troops, so not a lot of food makes it here.”

John looked down. He’d participated in a couple of these raids back at Valley Forge, but he’d only been thinking about his own stomach, not the people the food was supposed to be going to. He knew that Washington didn’t approve but he’d always had a meal on his table; John and the other soldiers didn’t.

“You don’t . . . go hungry, do you?” He asked, trying to quench his guilt.

Eliza hesitated. “No. But there are others who can’t afford the high prices.”

John was quieter as he followed her around the store. Eliza made her way to the check-out looking completely unfazed. He drove Eliza back to her aunt’s house but the conversation was not as lively this time around.

“Come find me whenever you want those repairs done. Just come to the camp and ask for Laurens.”

“Your name is John Laurens?”

“That’s me.”

“Is your father Henry Laurens?”

John’s throat tightened. “Yeah,” he said, “That’s him.”

Eliza sensed that he was uncomfortable, something that John was eternally thankful for. She hopped out of the car and waved a quick good-bye.

“I’ll see you soon, John Laurens.” She smiled sweetly and walked away. John watched her in a not-creepy way until he realized that he _was_ being creepy and drove away.

Alex was pacing his tent when John walked in. He pounced on him in an instant.

“Where have you been?” He asked accusingly.

John put his hands up in surrender. “I was out driving a girl to the store.”

“Out driving? John, I’ve been looking for you for an hour, _Washington_ asked for you an _hour_ ago.” Before John could answer Alex was talking again, “Wait, a girl? What girl?”

“Her name’s Eliza Schuyler, you know, daughter of Philip Schuyler?”

“You drove Eliza Schuyler to the store?” Alex asked incredulously.

“. . . yes. What’s the big deal?”

“I know her, I met her a couple of years ago.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I just saw her again the other night. God, isn’t she amazing?”

“She’s stunning.”

“She kissed me, you know. Well, sort of. It was on the cheek.”

“Shit, Alex, why didn’t you ever tell me or Laf this?”

“You were in South Carolina at the time and Laf was in France and I didn’t really think about it.”

“You’re lucky she kissed you, though. She didn’t kiss me.” John wasn’t jealous, not one bit.

“You’re just not as charming as I am.” Alex puffed out his chest.

“Oh, please.”

“Qu'est-ce que vous êtes deux chamailleries concernant?” Laf stepped into the tent.

“We’re not bickering.” Alex responded.

“What did you say?” John asked.

“I said, what are you two arguing about? You need to brush up on your French, mon amour.”

“I never learned French, I told you,”

“Which is why you need to brush up on it.” John rolled his eyes in response. “Now, what were you two talking about?”

“Nothing.” “We met a girl.”

“ _Alex._ ”

“Lying is a sin, John.”

Laf cleared his throat, bringing their attention back to him. “You met a girl?” He didn’t sound mad, just curious. But then again, Laf had always been an open-relationship kind of person.

“I met her first.”

“You’re _so_ special.”

“It doesn’t matter who met her first. Now sit down and tell me about her.”

So they sat and explained to Laf everything they knew about Eliza Schuyler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like laf accidentally lapses into french even though no one around him really speaks french so he'll walk in somewhere and start speaking french and no one will understand him and he'll just be like 'oh. whoops.'


	3. Alex and John are Dumb

Laf listened patiently while John and Alex interrupted each other to talk about Eliza. And when they finished Lafayette had come to one conclusion.

“You must date her.”

Alex and John were quiet for a moment until they erupted into speech. “No, we don’t need to-” “You’re our boyfriend, we want to date you-” “There’s no possible way that it would happen anyway-” “He’s right, we’d rather be with you instead of her.”

“Alex, John.” Laf put his hands up and they stopped talking. “You know that I love you both, and I only want the best for you. And I believe that the best for you is to date this woman you both are, how you say, infatuated with.”

Besides, he had a wife but Laf wasn’t going to lie: he didn’t want to break up with his boys. He’d known all along that Alex and John would always be together and that at some point or another what they had would be over. He just hadn’t wanted it to be today.

“Laf,” Alex began, sharing a look with John, “We don’t want to leave you.”

“Go date her, mes amours.” In reality, it didn’t take much convincing on Laf’s part. Both Alex and John were incredibly impulsive people so he wasn’t surprised when they (with just the slightest hint of guilt in their step) walked out of the tent. Laf knew that they would always love him and they knew he’d always love them but he couldn’t help feeling the slightest bit betrayed as they disappeared through the tent flap.

* * *

 

Alex and John left camp, forgetting any responsibilities that they may have had.

“Are we actually going to ask her out?”

“That’s the plan, John.”

“But, like, what if she isn’t into us?”

“Oh shit. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“But, I mean, if she was hitting on both of us-”

“Was she really hitting on you, Alex?”

“Believe it or not, I’ve been hit on before. I know what it’s like.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. You’ve been hit on by me.”

“Babe, you got lucky that night.”

“ _Sure_.”

“Hey John.”

“Yeah?”

“You know I’ve never been rejected before?”

“Wait, seriously?” John raised an eyebrow.

“Yep.”

“Oh, man. I’ve never been this nervous to ask someone out before.”

“Oh shit, me neither.”

By this point the pair had arrived at Eliza’s house. It was a grand home, obviously built to accommodate the rich Schuyler tastes. It was old, Alex figured, just by taking a look at the plain white house with green shutters. It had been surprisingly kept up. None of the painting on the side had chipped and the shutters seemed brand new. He’d imagined that this would be the type of house Eliza would live in.

“Do I knock? Or should you?” John asked.

“I don’t know. Do you want to?” Alex gestured to the door.

“Um, sure. I guess.” John raised his hand and knocked as confidently as he could. John and Alex stood in awkward silence waiting for the door to open. Alex started tapping his foot while John bit his lip and looked down, waiting in anticipation. Alex stuffed his hands in his pockets and then immediately took them back out again. He never had been a patient person and every second that ticked by made the knot in his stomach grow.

At long last (that was really only about ten seconds) they heard the bolt click, the door opened and there she was. Eliza.

They must’ve had worried looks on their faces because the first thing Eliza asked was, “Is everything okay?” She had a look of equal parts concern and surprise as she looked back and forth between them.

“Oh god no.” “Nothing’s wrong.”

“We just, um, wanted to talk to you for a minute?” Alex asked and John followed with, “If you’re not busy, that is.”

Eliza still looked concerned but ushered them in. Alex and John followed her to what they assumed was the living room. The entire house had a creepy old lady feel and it made Alex and John more nervous than they already were.

“Excuse the house,” Eliza said, “I’m _not_ the one who decorated it.”

“No, it’s . . . nice.” John tried to be polite.

Eliza scoffed. “It’s horrible. But at least it’s quiet.” She gestured to the couch. “Did you want to take a seat? I’ve got-”

But the end of Eliza’s sentence was cut off by Alex, who’d jumped past John to press his lips to hers. John watched with wide eyes from the other side of the room and his mouth dropped opened in shock. He knew Alex was impulsive . . . but this was a brand new level.

She pulled back a moment later, as equally shocked as John was. But, she did have the beginnings of a smile apparent on her lips. She glanced back at John, who had the same expression that she did and then back to Alex, who grinned sheepishly.

“Okay, now I’m more confused than I was.”

John pursed his lips and turned to Alex. “Out of everything you could’ve done, you led with that?”

“Should I have done that?” Alex glanced at Eliza. “I mean, it seemed to work.”

Eliza glared at him. “Okay, one of you, please explain.”

“Basically what my boyfriend here was trying to say,” She raised an eyebrow at the word ‘boyfriend’, “is that, well, um, oh this is awkward.”

And then Alex butted in with his lack of self-control and said, “Do you want to date us?”

Eliza’s eyes widened and she looked back and forth at both of them.

“Nice tact, Alex.”

“You weren’t doing anything, John.”

“Wait,” Eliza said and the two silenced, “You mean . . . _both_ of you?”

John nodded and Alex said, “Yep. Both. Like all three of us.”

John butted in here and said, “We know it’s weird to you but me and Alex are both really interested in you, and well, you seemed interested in _us_ , so if you would have us . . .”

Eliza smiled here. “You know, this works out really well for me.”

“How’s that?” Alex asked.

“I was interested in both of you.” Alex and John gasped excitedly and then both had the bright idea to dive in for a kiss. Their heads smacked together and Eliza stepped back, giggling.

“We’ll have to learn how to do that.” She said, while Alex kissed her cheek.

John grinned, going in for his own kiss, and found himself happier than he thought he’d be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a short piece but i'm happy i'm done with it
> 
> also mini shoutout to @RyannDaughterofHermes for inadvertently helping me out with this chapter 
> 
> there's probably going to be a follow-up to this about alex/eliza/john's early relationship i've just got to work it out first (writer's block is the worst) and i just love to write about these guys they're the best


End file.
